There is no question that having in-person school activities is incredibly difficult this year due to the pandemic. However, it seems that sports have been prioritized over other activities, such as the musical, music concerts, and the female leadership conference, GOLD. 

Athletic and non-athletic activities are equally important to student development and should be treated as such. Arguably, sports pose more of a threat than other extracurricular activities that have been cancelled or modified. Sports such as basketball, hockey, and volleyball are all traditionally played indoors, where the threat of COVID-19 spread is higher than outdoor sports. This limits the modifications that can be put in place.

Musicals and orchestra concerts are examples of activities that are able to be easily modified with effort and consideration.

If capacity restrictions are a concern, seniors could be prioritized. Musical performances could only feature senior actors to ensure that they do not miss out on their final production of high school. Masks could be worn, and audience members could be severely limited. The threat of COVID-19 spread is much less than in some indoor sports, especially those where players do not wear masks.

Despite these possible accommodations, the musical and other similar extracurriculars were cancelled completely or made virtual. I understand that sports do not have the option to go virtual, as club meetings and performances do. However, it seems that the district has fought to keep sports seasons going, even when the county and district COVID-19 cases were increasing. There seems to be less of a rush to reopen the arts.

Recently, the district has allowed some select sports teams to have the option to quarantine during the playoffs season, eliminating the chance of being quarantined by the school and not being able to play. If a sports team is granted this privilege, kids who are in other activities should have the same opportunity.

Very little can be done to safely modify contact sports because, even when wearing a mask, players can be on top of each other trying to get to the ball, blocking shots, or doing whatever the objective of that specific game is. Even if masks are worn, they are very likely to fall below the nose or even fall off completely due to the high amount of movement of players.

I am not saying that I want the sport seasons to be cancelled. I am very happy to see many of my friends be able to pursue the sport they love during this difficult time, and I would not want that to change unless it was absolutely necessary for their safety and health. I am only pointing out that it is arguably unfair that, while sports can be less safe than some activities that can easily be modified to have social distancing at all times, it is the arts and club extracurriculars that are cancelled, or at least significantly cut back.

Sports are obviously a large part of many students’ lives, especially for seniors who wish to make their senior season as memorable as possible. But leaders of clubs, choir members, and students actors all have the same passion and love for their activities.  Safety is the first and most prominent concern this year, but if sports are able to be played despite the health risks, it is only fair that this same privilege is given to other extracurriculars.